News From the President's Chair
by Harlan Meints, President DLARA
Well, another year is all most over as we suffer thru an end of summer heat wave. Diamond Lake Area Recreational Association (DLARA) has been busy with many project this year.
1.
DLARA has been working on the curley-leaf pondweed problem on the lake. You should have received a form explaining what our options are to control the invasive species. The DNR does not allow cutting the way we used to do it. Now if you cut it needs to be collected and haul away immediately. DLARA has no means to do this. We tried chemical treatment on a 6.6 acre plot on the southeast side of the lake near Dogfish Bay. We had very good results where the chemical was applied. DLARA feels that this is a lake wide problem and all property owners should share in the cost of treatment. If we don’t start treatment we could end up with a bigger and more expensive problem in the years to come. Please return the form in the survey to me so all people’s voices and concerns can be heard. We would only treat in years when it is felt treatment is needed. If the results of the survey are favorable, DLARA will circulate a petition around the lake to allow the watershed district the right to tax properties for the treatment costs. 25% of the lake properties would have to sign this petition to move forward, this is about 100 properties.
If you have any question contact me or Gordy Behm.
2.DLARA has also been working with numerous agencies including Ducks Unlimited and the watershed district to improve the quality of water entering the lake from the Hubbard chain of lakes. At this time all things are go. DU will be funding the project which has an estimated cost of 1.1 million dollars. An informational meeting is tentatively set to be held this fall or early spring to inform all about the timeline to complete this project. These 3 lakes would be drawn down, fish kill occurring over the winter, native plants allowed to regrow and the lakes then allowed to refill with water. This process would be repeated as needed.
3.We have also been working on updating the lake directory. There have been a lot of properties changing hands the past 2 ½ year and we are trying to update the directory and the mailing lists. If you have changes that need to be made in an address please let me know ASAP. When the new directories are complete you can get a copy to print off by contacting me at hmeints61@hotmail. We have stopped printing and mailing the directories as the cost was about $800. DLARA felt the dues money’s could be put to better use on other things.
4.Again DLARA is paying for 2, year around, dumpsters at the 2 accesses to help cut down on trash in and around the lake.
5.DLARA helped organize a state carp bow hunting tournament on the lake this spring. Over 2,000 lbs. of rough fish were removed from the lake at a cost to the lake of about $400. We are trying to get this event back if possible next year.
6.The new fish barrier on the southeast inlet, replacing the old fish barriers, is finally in place and functioning as planned. This project took about 3+ years to complete.
7.A big thanks to all those who have joined DLARA. We have over 250 member out of a possible 365. Without your help and ideas none of these things would have been possible. Yes, we do read all comments sent in with the dues forms and act if needed. REMINDER!! Dues letter will be going out some time in January 2014.
Missle Lane
We make a concerted effort to update names and addresses, yet we receive a bunch of returns every time. Sometimes this is due to people not getting back to Minnesota after having flown south for the winter. Maybe there are others who fly south for the summer, namely Manitobans. Who knows, but if anyone can tell me (robm@harvestbankmn.com) the whereabouts of the following I would appreciate it: Lowell & Ardyce Skoglund, Chris & Sheila Feldman, Dennis & Kathy Aumer, Eileen McCoy, Gary & Lisa Klein, Judge Crater, Alan Miller, Joe & Emily Hanzlik, Mark & Sandra Moorse, Allen Diehn, Dave Ahlquist, Bonnie Nelson, Mary Soderling, Brian & Theresa Bertram, Alton & Sandra Kubesh, Anastasia Romanova, Timothy & Karen Johnson, William & Barbara Gamache, David & Ardella Solbrack, Scott & Amy Kalkbrenner, Darin Prescott, Michael Barnes, Ken Schultz, Janet Boghani, Brian & Lori Hansel, Ambrose Bierce. Thank you.
With winter just around the corner (thank heavens) some may be interested in area skiing possibilities. Of course, you can just stick with lake skiing – it can get a little boring heading straight out and back, there are soft spots (e.g. the inlets on the south and west sides), and you probably want to hug the shoreline just to be safe. Also, snowmobile tracks are a mixed bag: they are nice to follow in deep snow, but sometimes it seems like snowmobilers are so fascinated by a newly cut ski trail that they drive over it like drugged-out Hezbollah assassins. Of course, its big advantage is ski-in/ski-out. For a more challenging venture you can try our local Community Park, which has a good hill, or Sibley State Park which has even bigger ones, on set tracks to boot. If you are really interested in skiing you can contact one of the following for further information: Jan Paderewski, Madame Blavatsky, Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, Igor Stravinsky or his brother, Igor Sikorsky.
SLOW DOWN, YOU’RE GOIN’ TO FAST—
YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE THE MORNIN’ LAST
by Collen O'Leary
One of the repeated complaints returned with DLARA member dues is speed around the lake. This is especially true of the stretch on County Road #4 from 49th Street to County Highway 26. Along this 1.5 mile span the current speed limit is 55 mph. Many travel well above that limit. The road is narrow, has no shoulder, and steep ditches. There are 5 curves, 2 hills, 20 accesses and at least 34 homes along this stretch of road. There have been many reported and unreported vehicle accidents on this short span of road, many of which have had vehicles land in the ditch. One of these vehicles landed only 2 feet from a tent occupied by children. Almost all of these accidents have been the result of loss of control due to excess speed, especially on the curves. There are several walkers and bicyclists along this recreational and residential lakeshore road. It is a severe safety hazard.
Many of the residents in this area have indicated that over the past many years, they have asked the county to lower the speed limit in this area—to no avail. Kandiyohi County and the State of Minnesota are currently looking at plans to reroute County Road #4 behind County Park 3. There are several models for this reroute and perhaps now is the time to make our voices heard. There is currently a petition circulating the residents of this 1.5 mile span, directed to the County of Kandiyohi and the State of Minnesota to:
•Reroute County Highway #4 from 49th Ave NE west and north past County Highway 26, and allow a local service road past these residences at a speed limit of 30mph.
•Or, reduce the speed limit of 55mph to a lesser speed of 30-45mph, place regulatory signs at the curves and patrol such area.
•Or, in the interim of accomplishing the above, place advisory signs indicating --Curves--35mph speed limit signs for the 5 curves in the 1.5 mile area.
While the first solution will entail a cost, the other options involve only a small amount of labor. It is our hope that now is the time to make this road a safer and more favorable area of the Diamond Lake area for all to enjoy.
